Thousands of people are likely to go recreational marron fishing this weekend, with the four-week season opening this Friday, 8 January 2016 at noon.

Fisheries Minister Ken Baston said about 14,000 people had sought licences to fish for marron at the Collie, Murray, Deep, Gardner, Warren, Donnelly, Blackwood, Capel and Preston rivers; and Moore and Hutt rivers and their tributaries.

For those fishing at Harvey Dam, Waroona Dam and the Hutt River, fishers can take five marron a day over the size of 90 millimetres within 500 metres of the waterline.

In all other open water, the daily bag limit is eight marron over the size of 80 mm (from noon one day until noon the next day).

Mr. Baston said recreational fishers made special trips to these places to enjoy the annual getaway experience to fish for Western Australia’s popular freshwater crayfish.

Just before Christmas, Department of Fisheries and Recfishwest staff helped relocate several dozen large marron and many smaller ones from drying pools along the south branch of the Collie River.

Fishers should contact the FishWatch number on 1800 815 507 if they see marron impacted by low water levels and water quality or to report illegal marron fishing activities.

Fisheries and marine officers will be on patrol before and during the season to ensure people catching marron are sticking to the rules especially in regard to using the correct fishing gear. Marron can only be caught using specific drop nets, scoop net, or bushman’s pole snare. All other fishing gear, including any type of trap, is illegal.